more than twenty six years ago (7 December 1988) Armenia shook the strongest earthquake in Spitak, which was half an hour completely destroyed, and with it, and 58 surrounding villages.Affected communities of Gyumri, Vanadzor, Stepanavan.Small failure affected 20 towns and over 200 villages located at some distance from the epicenter.
Earthquake
at the same place before the earthquake happened - in 1679, 1840 and 1931, but they did not reach, and 4 points.And in 1988, in the summer of seismographs recorded fluctuations in the Spitak region and its surroundings 3.5 on the Richter scale.
very same earthquake in Spitak, which took place on December 7 took effect on 10 points at the epicenter (the highest mark of 12 points).A large part of the country was exposed to shock power to 6 points.Echoes of the tremors were felt in Yerevan and Tbilisi.
experts, assess the extent of the disaster, reported that the amount of energy released from the Earth's crust is ten atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima.It is noteworthy that the blast, bypassed the Earth was recorded on several continents.The data in the report "Earthquake. Spitak 1988"It reports that the overall surface of the gap is equal to 37 kilometers, and its displacement amplitude were almost up to 170 cm. The break occurred at the site of the split of tectonic plates that are not designated at the time to the seismic hazard.
scope of the disaster
What are the official data characterizing the earthquake?Spitak-1988 - almost 30 thousand dead and more than 140 thousand people with disabilities.Destruction, touching industry and infrastructure, as well disappointing.Among them are 600 km of roads, 230 industrial enterprises, 410 medical institutions.Work was stopped by the ANPP.
Spitak earthquake caused huge damage.The financiers of the world appreciated its almost $ 15 billion, and the number of victims has exceeded the world average all victims of natural disasters.Armenian authorities at the time were not able to eliminate the consequences of the tragedy, and all the republics of the Soviet Union and many foreign countries immediately involved in the work.
Remediation: friendship of the peoples and political motives
December 7 at the crash flew surgeons who can work in the military field, and rescuers from Russia.Apart from these, working at the crash site of the doctor from the US, UK, Switzerland and France.Blood donors and medicines supplied by China, Japan and Italy, humanitarian aid came from more than 100 countries.
December 10th on the scene (now it was the ruins instead of the thriving city) flew the head of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev.For the sake of helping people, and monitor the process of carrying out rescue operations, he cut short his visit to the United States.
Two days before the arrival of Gorbachev, December 8, received humanitarian aid from Sochi.The helicopter carried everything necessary to save the lives of victims and ... coffins.The latter is not enough.
Stadiums Spitak schools became heliport, hospitals, morgues and evacuation points simultaneously.
causes of the tragedy and ways
reasons caused massive destruction as a result of this phenomenon, as the earthquake in Spitak, experts call the untimely and incomplete assessment of seismic vibrations in the region, the shortcomings in the preparation of regulations and poor quality construction work and medical care.
Remarkably, the Union has thrown all his energy, money and labor, to help victims of the disaster in Spitak: only the republics came more than 45 thousand volunteers.Tens of thousands of parcels from all over the Soviet Union came to the city and the surrounding villages as humanitarian assistance.
But even more interesting is the fact that in 1987-1988, of the Armenian lands just under the barrel of a firearm expelled Azerbaijanis, Russian Muslims.People cut off the heads of their cars crushed, beaten to death and walled up in chimneys, while not sparing neither women nor children.In the book, the writer Sanubar Sarally "Stolen history.Genocide "are eyewitness accounts of the events.The writer says that the Armenians themselves called the tragedy of Spitak God's punishment for their misdeeds.
Residents of Azerbaijan also participated in disaster relief, delivering in Spitak and surrounding towns gasoline, equipment and medicines.But their help Armenia refused.
Spitak earthquake which has become an indicator of the international relations of the time, in fact, confirmed the fraternal friendship of the Soviet peoples.
Looking after 1988.
Spitak earthquake gave the first impetus to the creation of the organization for forecasting, prevention and liquidation of emergency situations of natural origin.For twelve months, in 1989, it was officially announced the launch of the Commission's work on a national scale emergencies, known since 1991 as the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation.
Spitak after the earthquake - is contradictory and yet painful event for the country.It has been almost 27 years after the tragedy, but also through the decades Armenia still rebounding.In 2005, there were nearly 9000 families who lived in barracks with no amenities.
In memory of those killed
Date December 7 - Day of mourning for those killed in the crash, announced by the government.For Armenia it is a rainy day.In December 1989, the Mint issued a three-ruble coin Union in commemoration of Spitak earthquake.20 years later, in 2008, in the small town of Gyumri the opening of a monument erected by the public.It was called "The victims innocent and compassionate hearts" and was dedicated to all the victims who have suffered in Spitak 07.12.1988.
